West Ham manager David Moyes has stated that he is quite happy with Flynn Downes’ performance this season.
The Hammers paid £9 million to sign Downes from Swansea City in the summer of 2022, although he has mostly played from the bench.
He joined Southampton on loan this season, where he is reunited with manager Russell Martin, who previously worked with him at Swansea.
West Ham strengthened their midfielder over the summer, and Downes believed it would be better for him to move elsewhere and play more frequently. He has played an important part for the Saints this season, and Martin has described him as a “big player” for the team.
According to The Athletic, the Saints are intent to sign him permanently, regardless of league status. At the same time, it is “unclear” what his long-term future holds.
“He is a big player for us, he is important,” Martin stated. “He’s a brilliant character, he’s a winner, someone who’s aggressive and a brilliant athlete too.”
Should West Ham keep Downes?
Southampton are vying for automatic promotion, and they will be in a stronger position to recruit Downes if they move to the Premier League at the end of the season.
Moyes may be interested in adding one more high-quality midfielder to the squad in the summer, which might pave the way for Downes to join Southampton permanently.
The midfielder has missed the last four games due to a hip injury, but he is expected to return against Birmingham City. He has been perhaps one of the best midfielders in the Championship this season, and the Saints value him greatly.
The defensive midfielder has one goal and two assists in 24 games, and he is already a fan favourite. Ideally, West Ham should give him another chance in the first team next season, but if they receive a strong offer for him, they may be tempted to sell him.
In other West Ham news, Chris Sutton has projected the score for the Hammers’ Premier League match against Everton.
